B-PC accepts sports co-op with West Prairie

Tuesday

Apr 23, 2013 at 1:59 AMApr 24, 2013 at 9:50 AM

By Lainie SteelmanMcDonough County Voice

A high school sports cooperative agreement with West Prairie will move forward in the Bushnell-Prairie City School District, but extra-curricular budget cuts were tabled until the regular B-PC board meeting May 15.

During a special meeting Monday night, the board listened to public comments on the sports co-op before unanimously accepting it. Several people spoke out in opposition to the co-op name – BWP — under the agreement because it does not include the name of Prairie City, and others questioned why West Prairie will be the host and administrator of football.

That was the concern of Prairie City Mayor John Oakman, who said he supported the co-op but B-PC has better football facilities and "the established" football program.

Under the sports co-op agreement, B-PC and West Prairie will share football, boys baseball and girls softball starting with the 2014-15 school year. West Prairie will serve as host and administrator of football and softball, while B-PC will be host and administrator of baseball.

The school districts already co-op for boys and girls track; under the new co-op, B-PC will continue serving as host and administrator.

Athletic Director Stan Prentice said the co-op will benefit both districts because both have the problem of low sports enrollment number.

"Our numbers are down at this point, we're going to struggle next year fielding a football team, West Prairie's going to struggle," he said. "So next year we'll be able to put them together. Same with all the other sports. We already do track, and it benefits both programs by having more student athletes to be able to participate and field a team."

A copy of the B-PC-West Prairie cooperative intergovernmental agreement is posted on the B-PC School District website, www.bushnell-pc.k12.il.us.

Other business

In other business, the board tabled action on $47, 600 in budget cuts to extra-curricular programs for the 2013-14 school year and will give the B-PC community until the next regular board meeting on Wednesday, May 15, to present a fundraising plan to prevent the cuts.

Cuts under consideration include: The elimination of all field trips from kindergarten through high school, junior high football, junior high girls volleyball, freshmen football freshmen boys basketball and boys and girls indoor track.

Also on the potential chopping block is the reduction of one tournament from boys and girls basketball and girls volleyball, the reduction of two "away" athletic contests in all sports except high school football, and the elimination of all professional development except for those which are funded by a grant.

Interim Superintendent Mike Dickson said the cuts are necessary because of continued declines in state revenue. For the 2013-14 fiscal year, the school district will receive $561,000 less in General State Aid than it did this year.

Public comments included pleas to give the community a chance to raise the funds to prevent the cuts. James Groutage of Bushnell stepped forward to offer his own money to prevent the loss of boys and girls indoor track, which has only three meets at a cost of $500.

"I will pay for the indoor track meets," he said to applause.

Travis Hiel of Prairie City encouraged the board to "think outside the box" during and give the community a chance to raise the money.

Marlin "Muggs" McGinnis, a retired administrator of the school district, said he understood why the board might be reluctant to allow the community to raise the funds, given the time they must follow when preparing the next year's budget.

McGinnis also said it might be time for the school district to consider a referendum for a tax levy increase.

"Either we have to cut or we have to raise our taxes, so that we don't have to worry about cutting junior high football. What's going to happen five years from now?"

During one exchange, board member Mary Mendenhall responded to a comment about fundraising and said, "We can't operate on a promise," to which John Slater of Bushnell responded, "But you're already operating on the state's promise."

Mendenhall then responded, "That's the way our budget operates."

Board member John McCleery made a motion to set May 15 as the deadline for the community to come together, with help from the B-PC Athletic Boosters, and present a fundraising plan. If that plan isn't acceptable to the board, they can take action on the budget cuts at the May 15 meeting.

McCleery's motion was unanimously approved.

"I thought it was important to give the community a chance," McCleery said following the meeting. "We had a lot of people here tonight, so we should give them that chance."

He also said he was willing to make the tough decisions if the community can't present a viable plan.

"If they can't present a plan we can approve," he said, "then we will have no choice but to make the reductions."

Communities

Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted.
The McDonough County Voice ~ 26 W. Side Square, Macomb, IL 61455 ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service